HOCK-DOVE.
COLVMBJ Lll'IA.
'InKHE can lie little doubt tbat several writer* have confused the Stock-Dove, which is HOW well known
to resort to cliffs, with this species. The situations in which the nests of the ltoek-Doves in Gould's
boniilifully executed plate in his work on the 'Birds of Great Britain* are placed, \\t.. open ledges in
the face of a steep dilf, plainly indicate that some breeding-place of the Slook-Dovc must be
represented. According to my own experience, it is only in eaves—small occasionally, but for the most
part deep, dark, and gloomy—that the Hock-Dove rears its young. On more than one occasion I have
been assured that these turds were to lie found during the breeding.season frequenting some of the
Sussex chalkqiits on the downs; on visiting the spot, however, I ascertained in every instance that the
presence of a few pairs of Stock-Doves had led to the mistake. The east and west eaves at the Hnss
were also said to he tenanted by Rock-Doves, though the only Pigeons I ever observed about the rock
were birds that had escaped from the large " Doocnt " near Tantallon, and hail taken up their quarters in
hundreds among the ruins above the entrance to the old castle. These birds harboured about the coastline
as far as the rocks extended towards Soaeliff, and occasionally took a Jlight out to the Bass; 1 was,
however, unable to learn that they had over made beyond a short visit to the rock.
Numbers of these birds breed in the eaves in the Cromarty rocks overlooking the Moray Firth, their
nests lieing placed on the ledges and in the creiices in the highest parts of these fantastically formiil
caverns. I remarked repeatedly that the birds issued from fissures in the rook to which not even n ray
of light appeared to penetrate. In addition to the Blue l!ock-Dovos there were a few buff-tinted
birds frequenting the caves ; these were all similar in colouring, though whether escaped from some
of the farm-buildings near at hand or merely varieties I had no means of ascertaining, ns they kept
at a respectful distance, and I was unable to procure one for examination. There was no difficulty in
scouring a fine pair of the Blue Doves as specimens at one of the oaves, after which I allowed them to
By iu and out uumolested; ray visits to the locality having been made during May and June, the
birds were all engaged in attending to their young. The Doves, we ascertained, were not the only
occupants of the caves, as in those nearest the entrance to the Cromarty Firth we camo across frequent tracks
of otters.
The young ltoek-Doves that are figured in the Plate were token in n small cave on the west coast
of Ross-shire, almost opposite the island of Fura, on the 27th of May, 1SGX Being well in sight from
below, we ascertained they wen- nearly full-11 illged and of the ago required; but how to get nt them was
at first a pusilo. At last we hit upon a plan that proved successful; a couple of tall sturdy Highlanders
Laving takcu their station at the foot of the rock, a third thou mounted on their shoulders, after which,
be the help of the mast of our ihdiiug-buol which had been brought ashore, I managed to climb almvc
the ineii and, assisted by the inequalities in the slabs of broken rock, to reach the young birds and nest.